Sorry for taking so long to update! I have an idea for another RotG story and I have the summary, but I can't think of how to start it. So there goes my sanity.

Anyways, thank you guys SO much for the reviews!

Also, this chapter isn't the best because I kind of just wanted to update already and I couldn't get it to flow properly. My apologies.

E. Aster Bunnymund was walking to North's place. It was beginning to get late, and he supposed that he should speed up a bit so he wouldn't recieve a scolding from the jolly man. Aster picked up his pace, taking long strides with his equally long legs. The toyshop was just up ahead. He was about to enter the building when he heard the sickeningly smooth voice of... Pitch. Aster had never hated anyone with such a passion before. The Aussie always held a special Easter event for all the kids in town, like hiding handmade eggs in the forest, and Pitch had always tried to ruin it. Whether it be breaking the eggs before the children could find them or just even showing up and creeping the heck out of the anklebiters. It didn't matter. He tried to ruin Easter every year, and Aster despised him for it. He didn't know why Pitch was in the alleyway where North kept his garbage, or who he was talking to, but he was probably doing something evil and Aster was going to put a stop to it. Decision made, he backed up from the toyshop's door and crept over to where the voice was coming from, peeking out from behind a wall to see what the heck the dark man was doing. The sight was not a welcome one.

Pitch -that bastard- was kneeling infront of a boy - he looked to be about 12 or 13- with a cruel smile on his face. Aster couldn't see the boy's face, but he was cowering away from Pitch, obviously scared. Bunnymund didn't know who this boy was, but he did know that Pitch was a huge, sick, creep, who hated children and wanted them to fear just about everything, including himself. But Aster hadn't suspected Pitch to be someone to harass children- would he? The creep was far too close to the boy for his liking.

And before he knew it, he was shouting.

"Oi! What d'ya think y'er doin'?"

The boy turned, as did Pitch, the latter looking rather surprised. Before the shadowy man could say or do anything, Aster was over there and pushing him away from the boy, who was watching with wide eyes. The Aussie glared at the other man.

"Why're ya messin' with this kid, Pitch?!"

"Bunnymund. What a pleasant surprise." Pitch was standing now, his face expressionless. Then his eyes narrowed. "I was 'messing' with no one, only helping dear Jack out of a rather unpleasant situation. Isn't that right, Jack?"

So the boy's name was Jack. Ok. From the look of shock and fright that Jack was giving Pitch, that statement was obviously not the truth. "That's a load a baloney an' you know it!"

"You wound me."

"Just rack off, ya bloody drongo."

Pitch turned, walking away from the pair, but just as he was about to go around the corner -honestly, couldn't he just leave already?!- he turned again, facing them, looked at Jack, then grinned. Aster narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. Then Pitched turned the corner and he was gone. Finally.

Aster looked to the kid currently behind him. Jack had shockingly white hair, that stood out in the darkness, bright blue eyes, and there were smudges of dirt covering the palest skin he had ever seen. He was wearing a worn out blue sweater, and tattered brown pants. The kid was pretty small, his hoodie -why the heck is he only wearing a hoodie, it's the middle of the bloody winter- swallowing up most of his skinny frame. Strangest of all, he had no shoes on. It was freezing outside! Why was the kid going around in bare feet?! Aster could barely stand the cold, and he was wearing the thickest winter coat that he owned! Well, whatever, he could ask that later. Right now, Jack looked pretty shaken. He was just standing there, staring at the spot where Pitch had been moments ago.

"Hey kid, y'alright?"

Surprised blue eyes looked up at him. He offered a small smile.

"Yeah fine, thanks." Jack stated slowly, trying to regain his composure. He stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. "Who was that creep?"

"That was Pitch. Real bad guy. Likes t' scare th' anklebitas. Usually doesn't actually approach 'em though.." Aster muttered the last part. Jack just nodded. That was when Bunnymund noticed his shaking. Or rather, shivering. Damn! Poor kid must be freezing.

"You want me t' call your parents?" He offered. Jack winced slightly.

"Uh, no, no that's fine.. I'll uh, I'll walk," He paused, swallowed. "..home." He was looking down, an unreadable expression on his face.

Aster frowned. "What? Kid, it's freezin', and you're shakin' like a leaf. Ya gotta call your parents so they can pick ya up."

Jack looked up and glared. "I said it's fine!" The glare melted away and he sighed. "Thanks and everything, but I'll walk."

Aster was having none of that. "Now look here, you're obviously cold, streuth, I'm even cold an' I have a jacket on, so c'mon inta North's place an' we can warm ya up an' then call ya parents, a'ight?"

Jack frowned. "...You're not gonna give up, are you?"

His response was a cross of the arms from Aster and a firm nod. The pale teen deflated. "Fine."

Although Jack was putting up the I-don't-want-your-help,-leave-me-alone-forever-ple ase facade, he was having a really hard time trying to hide his excitement over going into North's workshop without getting kicked out for having no shoes. And maybe trying to steal some of the toys had gotten him kicked out too. But hey, if you saw the magnificent toys just sitting on a shelf, begging for you to take it, you would try to take them too.

But he was also trying to hide his nervousness because what if this guy found out he was homeless and turned him into a shelter or something? Jack was not going through that again. The last shelter he was at consisted of very crabby people that he wanted no part of, not to mention the verbal abuse they put him through. No thank you, that was enough to send him packing. Grumpy people and him didn't mix well.

Or, what if North recognized him and kicked him out again or something? That would really only add to his not-so-good mood.

And, to add to his already throbbing head, who the heck was that Pitch guy?! How had he known his name? He didn't really have to wonder how the creep had found him in the trash, because duh, he was yelling and pounding on the lid quite loudly. But it was still very unnerving for him to be so close into Jack's personal space- Jack liked his personal space quite a lot, thank you very much- and what was with that lost grin before Pitch left? Was he planning-

A large hand landed on his shoulder and Jack flinched. "Easy mate, c'mon."

And now he was being dragged to his possible doom.

R&R please :)